


Epilogue to the Epilogue

by Untherius



Series: The Sun-Bearer Chronicles [1]
Category: Howl no Ugoku Shiro | Howl's Moving Castle, Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-04
Updated: 2011-10-04
Packaged: 2017-10-24 07:17:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/260580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Untherius/pseuds/Untherius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's going on a year after Rapunzel was reunited with her real family.  Rapunzel finds that being Crown Princess is not at all like what she might have expected.  Eugene likewise learns that his new dream involves an unanticipated amount of work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Epilogue to the Epilogue

Six A.M. and the usual morning line-up  
First, a light breakfast of oatmeal and blueberries  
Stretching and cardio, push-ups and weights and fencing  
Stretch again and by then, it's like 09.15

And then I'll take a lap, or maybe two or three  
Do a few more pull-ups, guess they're good for me  
I'll do my abs and spar and train and basically  
Just marvel that my life has begun

Then after lunch, it's astronomy, art and language  
Geometry, a little ballet and chess  
Botany, combat archery, armor-making  
Carve figurines, flirt with Eugene, study time, build a chest

And I'll go read more books, if I have time to spare  
Paint my suite some more, there's lots of room up there  
And then I'll knit and knit and knit chain-maille  
Just marveling that my life has begun

So I'll be learning and training and sparring and fighting  
And straining and growing and reaching and knowing  
That this is what my life's become

 

Rapunzel lay face-down on a couch on the veranda.

“I'm so exhausted,” she moaned, “and so sore.”

Eugene reached down and began to massage her shoulders. “Where does it hurt?”

“Ugh. Everywhere.”

“Everywhere?”

“Everywhere. Rafni just never quits.”

“She's just being thorough,” he said reassuringly.

“Thorough? I think she enjoys wiping the walls with me.”

“Isn't that why we hired her? To whip us into shape?”

“Yes, but I don't think I knew what I was doing when I started.” She propped herself up on her elbows and looked up at him. “It's a good thing you're next.”

“It is?” he said, with a hint of uncertainty.

“Share your pain and draw strength from the sharing.”

“I see.”

“Besides, you're already in shape.”

“Well....” He shrugged.

“You know, on days like this, I almost wish I were back in that tower.” She smiled at him. “But only almost.”

“Because life was easier and simpler.”

“And less painful, but way more boring. Still, who'd have thought that being a princess would be so much work?” She flopped back down on the couch and Eugene resumed the massage.

“I know what you mean.”

“Oh, really?” she with incredulous amusement.

“Being Chief of Security and re-training your military and learning heavy armored combat and being drilled into the ground by that Captain of your Guard? That's on top of martial arts training under Slayer Rafni Eriksdottir, helping the two of you develop Pan-fu and occasionally getting pummeled by your cousin in the joust! Then there's all the studying. Being a thief, on the other hand...well, I lived in a constant state of suspicious alert, I starved half the time, was bored the other half and never knew whom to trust, but, well, like you said, it wasn't nearly this much work!”

“That's funny, I remember you saying you liked that life.” She rolled over and sat up.

“Well, I liked what I thought it was. And I kept waiting for it to suddenly turn into the life of Flynnigan Ryder, which, of course never happened. That, and I didn't know what I was missing.”

She socked him playfully in the arm and smiled.

“Ow!” He reached up and gingerly rubbed it.

“Oh, that didn't hurt.”

“I have a bruise there.”

“Oh, poor you.”

“Hmph.” He crossed his arms in a mock pout.

“Are you sharing my pain now?”

“Yes, I guess I am.”

“Good.” She leaned toward him and he leaned the rest of the way to meet her with a kiss.

“I guess we'd best get cleaned up for dinner,” he said.

“Yes, I guess that'd be best,” she said cheerily.

“And we should go to bed early. We have drill tomorrow.”

Rapunzel flopped back down onto the couch. “Arg. And there's that geometry exam the day after.”

“It never ends, does it?”

“I guess not.”

*****

Clang! Clang! Clang! Rapunzel and Eugene stood in the middle of the drill grounds, circling each other in a complicated dance of whirling frying pans and clanking armor.

“I don't think you're trying hard enough,” she said.

They came back together with the clang, clang, clang of cast-iron and sprang apart again.

“What? You think I'm holding back because you're a girl?”

Clang, clang, clang! Their pans locked together.

“Yes. And more to the point, I think you're holding back because I'm YOUR girl!” That brought a chuckle from the soldiers surrounding them. This was part of a training rotation and every member of the King's military was expected to attain a basic working knowledge of this new combat form.

They pushed apart, coming back together with renewed aggression.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Then the twin WHANG of their pans striking home on each other's helms.

“Double kill!” announced the Captain of the Guard.

“Nice shot, your Highness!” said Eugene as he bowed.

“Oh, stop that,” she protested with feigned indignation.

Eugene shot her a brief mischievous grin. “And that, gentlemen,” he said to their observers, “is how it's done.”

They applauded.

“And now it's your turn,” he added.

One by one, Eugene and Rapunzel paired off with their trainees, who then paired off with others. Two extremely noisy hours later, they were all panting, sweating and exhausted.

“Hold!” came a low, clear baritone voice at the edge of the field. It was the King. All turned toward him and bowed as he strode to the center of the grounds.

“At ease, gentlemen! Lady,” he added this last to Rapunzel. All relaxed. “Captain, report.”

“It's a bit unorthodox, your Majesty, but it may have potential. I'd like to reserve final evaluation until I've had a good opportunity to thoroughly test it against sword and shield. That is, beyond Master Fitzherbert's display last year. I also still strenuously recommend the Princess wear foot protection, even during exercises.” He indicated Rapunzel's bare feet, which protruded from her shin guards.

“So noted.” He turned to Eugene. “Master Fitzherbert,” continued the King, “report.”

“Everyone seems to be picking it up well enough so far, your Majesty. But I think we're all going to have bruises on top of bruises for the next week or so. I recommend only one small adjustment to tomorrow's schedule.”

“And that would be?”

“I'd like to suggest changing half the cardio from running to swimming. Then spend the rest of the day working on our armor, archery practice and studying historical war tactics, as planned. I also think we'd all benefit from some extra protein this evening. Although that may depend on how much we all collectively whine to the Quartermaster.”

“Make it so. Princess, Fitzherbert, please meet me in my study after you're out of your armor and cleaned up. Carry on, Captain.” He turned on his heels and strolled back across the field, Rapunzel beside him.

“Everyone go stow your armor,” barked the captain. “Evening mess is at eighteen-hundred hours. Dismissed!” After a moment, he interrupted the mass exodus. “Fitzherbert!”

“Sir!” said Eugene, spinning on his heels to face the Captain.

“Did I see you ogling the royal tush?”

“Um...what?” said Eugene uncertainly.

“Drop and give me twenty!”

Eugene hesitated for a moment, then got down on the ground and started doing push-ups. It was all the King and Rapunzel could do to contain their laughter.

Eugene started to get up and was stopped by the Captain. “Who said you could get up?”

“No-one, Sir!” he said, returning to the push-up position.

“Down all the way. Hold it. Hold it. Up half. Hold it. Hold it. Hold it.”

“Daddy, you're horrible,” said Rapunzel quietly to her father.

“It wasn't my idea,” he replied.

“It wasn't mine, either.”

“You should go get cleaned up. I'll see you soon.”

At this point, Eugene's arms were starting to shake.

“Up full,” continued the Captain. “Now you're done. Go stow your armor. And Fitzherbert?”

“Sir?”

“Nice form.”

“Thank-you, Sir.”

*****

Eugene walked down the hall toward the King's study. He could hear voices from within. He stepped into the cozy room and looked around. The Queen was seated next to a small table, the King standing across from her. Howl Jenkins sat on a couch along a center wall. Across the room, Sophie Jenkins nee Hatter and Rapunzel stood by a small table with their backs to everyone. They were arguing about the tea.

“No, no, let me do it,” said Sophie.

“I'm perfectly capable of fixing my own tea,” retorted Rapunzel.

“But I insist.”

“No, I insist.”

“But you're the Princess!”

“Who's been fixing her own tea for eighteen years and knows exactly how she likes it! Besides, this is the lowest-key thing I've done all week.”

“But it is not proper!”

Eugene cleared his throat. “Is there a problem, ladies?”

“Yes,” said Sophie, “first her parents,” she inclined her heads toward the Royal couple across the room, “order me to use their given names. Now she,” nodding to Rapunzel, “insists on making her own tea! It is just not proper!”

“Um,” said Eugene, “I'm not sure I follow.” Sophie looked flustered at his question.

“Let me try to explain,” said Howl, “On Ingary, everyone's always completely proper all the time. Social conventions are rigidly observed. In most places, some of those things are actually written into law and those laws are enforced with varying degrees of stricture. Occasionally, there are even severe punishments for breach of protocol depending upon the nature of the infraction.”

“Isn't it like that here?” said Eugene.

“Europe is relaxed by Ingarian standards,” said Howl.

“Thank-you, alskling,” said Sophie. “Since they are Royals, I feel compelled to...” she paused, searching for the words. “...observe customary forms of address, but I also feel...obligated...to follow their commands.”

“Would this help?” asked the King. He removed his crown and set it on the table next to him. The Queen did the same. Sophie just stood there and blinked wordlessly, her mouth hanging open just slightly. After a few moments, the King leaned over to his wife. “Do you think we broke her brain?”

The Queen giggled. “Oh, you're horrible,” she said.

“That's funny, our daughter said the very same thing to me earlier this afternoon, didn't you, dear?”

Rapunzel giggled and turned back to the tea, despite Sophie's continued, although now much less sincere, agitation.

Eugene stood there and watched.

“Hey, no ogling the Royal tush,” scolded Howl.

“What?” said Eugene.

“You heard the man,” said the King.

Rapunzel and Sophie both began to giggle, joined shortly by the Queen.

“I guess word travels quickly,” said Eugene.

The laughter intensified and soon Howl and the King were also chuckling.

Eugene folded his arms across his chest in a gesture of indignation. “Alright, whose idea was it?”

It took a couple of minutes for the laughter to subside enough to allow conversation once more.

“It was mine,” confessed Howl.

“I tried to stop you,” said Sophie.

“No, you pretended to try and stop me,” Howl corrected.

“So who was your accomplice?” asked Eugene.

“Excuse me?” said Howl.

“There's no way you could have pulled that off on your own. You had help. Isn't that right?” he said, turning toward the King.

“I'm sure I don't know what you mean,” said the King in obviously false denial.

“Oh, Harold, you're impossible!” teased the Queen.

Eugene raised his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly in an interrogative fashion.

“It's a father's prerogative to torment his daughter's suitors,” said Harold.

“How many does she have?” asked Eugene defensively. He glanced over at Rapunzel, who was looking at him flirtatiously over her shoulder.

“Oh, just you,” said Harold.

“Although there was that Henry fellow from England,” continued the Queen. This made Eugene squirm a little, drawing another chuckle from Harold. “Well, it's a mother's prerogative, too, you know,” she added.

“Liesel, you're a treasure,” said the King. “Don't worry, that was a long time ago. We had a preliminary arrangement when Elsa...Rapunzel...was born. When she was...” he paused, appearing to choke up a bit, then cleared his throat. “After a few years, Henry grew impatient and we...er...canceled the deal.”

“For which I'm grateful,” said Rapunzel flatly over her shoulder.

Rapunzel and Sophie, having reached a state of detente over the tea, turned around. Rapunzel held her own cup and saucer and strolled over to the couch and sat down. Sophie began to serve the tea to the others, beginning with Harold, who then seated himself in a chair beside Liesel.

“Oh, come over here and sit down, you big lug,” said Rapunzel to Eugene, who complied.

When Sophie had finished serving, she returned the tea service to its table, poured her own and then sat down between Howl and Rapunzel.

“Rapunzel was just sharing some of her week's activities,” said Howl.

“You mean her week's...torment,” corrected Sophie.

“I wouldn't go that far,” said Rapunzel.

“Really?” replied Sophie. “If I had to do even half that, well, I think I would explode!”

“It's not that bad, really. A bit stressful, maybe, but not that bad.”

“A bit?” said Liesel. “Why, it hangs about your shoulders like an albatross.” Rapunzel was about to protest when Liesel continued. “You're trying to squeeze what would have been eighteen years of...how'd you put it, Howl...oh, yes...eighteen years of princessing into just one and you're feeling quite overwhelmed. Trust me, it's written all over your face. If you're not careful, you're going to, as Sophie puts it, explode.”

“You're exaggerating.”

“No,” said Sophie, still struggling with English, “she is not. I can feel the stress...pouring off of you like a wave. It is so thick, I could nearly cut it with a spoon and if it were any stronger, I dare say it would knock me off my feet...literally.”

“Sophie and I have been talking about it,” said Howl, “and we'd like to invite Rapunzel to visit us for a couple of weeks to...unwind, as it were.”

“And we promise to not allow her to do any work...whatsoever...while she is there,” added Sophie.

“Good luck with that,” muttered Eugene.

Rapunzel elbowed him in the ribs and then perked up. “May I? I'll be finished with classes in a couple of months when everyone else goes home to help with the harvests.”

“That would be perfect,” said Howl.

“I think that's an excellent idea,” said Liesel.

“If no one else has any objections?” said Harold. There were none. “Then make it so. And now, I believe it's nearly time for dinner. Shall we?” He stood up and ushered everyone out toward the dining room.

*****

Eugene knelt on one knee in front of Rapunzel out on the veranda. “Will you marry me?” he asked, “and please don't say 'no,'” he added hesitantly.

She giggled. “You're going to have to work a lot harder than that, my dear man,” she replied. His face fell. She dropped down on one knee herself and took his face between her hands. “Eugene, you know I love you very much and and I'm forever in your debt for rescuing me the way you did.”

He began to speak, but she pinched his lips together with her fingers.

“Stop talking,” she said, then let go again. “I'm not saying 'yes,' but I'm most emphatically not saying 'no.' Mama's right, I AM feeling overwhelmed catching up on...well, on what would have been my life and I'm still going through a LOT of adjustment. She and Papa both assure me that marriage takes at least that much and, well, that would certainly make me explode. I'm not ready yet. But do not, under any circumstances, stop asking me.”

“Does that mean...” he was cut off when she once again pinched his lips together.

“Just don't stop asking.” She released his lips again and kissed him soundly. “I'll see you in two weeks.” Then she stood up and walked back into the palace, turning to smile and wave as she reached the door. Just before she disappeared, she paused and looked back over her shoulder. “And dearest? What did I say about the tongue?”

Eugene cocked his head.

“Not before we're married? A girl has to draw the line SOMEwhere.” She winked at him and vanished through the door.

**Author's Note:**

> I really like the songs in "Tangled," not entirely because Alan Menken know how to compose a catchy tune. I opened with a filk of "When Will My Life Begin" as way to parallel the function of that song as an illustration of Rapunzel's day-to-day routine. As Crown Princess, certain things will be the same--art, chess, dance, things like that. Other things like baking would probably not be things a princess would be doing. Admittedly, I have her engaged in things like combat archery and physical fitness training, which are decidedly NOT things a princess would do in period! I base this, and much of what is to come, on the theory that her extreme isolation has deprived her of the acquisition of cultural norms--essentially, she has no clue whatsoever what's expected of a young German woman, let alone a Princess, to say nothing of what should or should not be done. "Elsa, dear, Princesses don't do that." "What? Why the heck not? It's fun!" "Well...because they just don't." "But that's just silly!" And so forth. She pursues what she wants to pursue, despite her parents' objections--which one would expect to result in a battle of wills, which I've ignored, although I'm considering writing about some of this in some more material taking place within the first month following her homecoming.
> 
> The King and Queen of Corona aren't given names, let alone lines, in the movie. I wanted them to interact with Eugene and Rapunzel more closely than just being in the periphery as they do in other works I've read. While this didn't strictly necessitate them having names, I wanted to do it anyway. Liesel is a solidly period German name. Harold is older than that, appearing at least as early as 1066--Harold Hadrata fought against William of Normandy at the Battle Hastings.
> 
> You may also notice I have Their Majesties referring to Rapunzel as Elsa. I figure that she was plausibly given another name at birth and that Gothel gave her an entirely different one in an effort to conceal her identity.


End file.
